MCA Walleye Study Seeks Community Participation

9/11/2012

The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Environment Department is calling out to any fishermen and women that would like to provide Walleye fish samples.

Looking for

Whole walleye fish

Fin clips (the specimen could be returned to the river alive, only a small clipping is required) for mercury testing.

If the fish is for consumption, we will collect tissue, gonads and liver for PCB study.

The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Environment Department is working in conjunction with the St. Lawrence River Institute along with the Ontario Power Generation to conduct a study on walleye in the St. Lawrence River, and Lake St. Francis area.

With traditional Mohawk fishing knowledge being used as the basis for this study, there is said to be as many as four different sub-species of walleye that are caught from the St. Lawrence River and Lake St. Francis area. It has been noted that anglers from Akwesasne, with their vast knowledge of fishing, have noticed small differences in the fish they catch. Taste is just one of these small differences anglers identified. Walleye from the north shore of Cornwall are said to taste differently from the walleye caught upstream on the north shore, and furthermore, the differences continue with walleye caught from the south shore on the American side. Anglers have said that fish on the south shore out into what is known as Lake St. Francis, are said to taste the best. With this study we would like to collect more knowledge on these types of differences that anglers notice with the walleye that is caught from St. Lawrence River and the Lake St. Francis area. Locations of industrial sites seem to coincide with the differences that fishermen and women find with walleye (FIGURE 1). So through the determination of mercury levels along with PCB testing there are hopes of concluding that there are in fact four different sub-species of walleye. Some species may not have as much mercury contaminants as others – which would allow fish consumers to steer clear of those that are more dangerous.

This study hopes to expand on the understanding of the distribution of these sub-species of walleye based on contaminants levels. With the discovery of these sub- species there is hope that one of these sub-species of walleye will have safer levels of contaminants, thus allowing the Mohawks of Akwesasne to again return to the once great St. Lawrence River fishery.

If you are interested in participating in this study or have any comments please contact:

Jade Gabri at Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Environment Department

613-575-2250 ext. 1048

jade_620@ymail.com